Koolie vs Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Noir - Breed Comparison

The Koolie's ancestors were both the smooth coated blue merle Collie as well as the Black and Tan Collie. The dog hails from Australia.

Looking much like the Heeler dog, the Koolie is thought to have got its name from German immigrants to Australia who couldn’t pronounce the name ‘collie’ properly, so the name came out as Koolie. The Koolie of today is a product of a cross between the German Koolie and the Australian Dingo.

The dog has been around for a long time and in 2000, the Koolie Club of Australia was formed. It was in 2004 that the Koolie was recognized by the Australian Sporting Registrar. In May 2006, the Stockdog Committee of the Australian Shepherd Club of America accepted the Koolie as a recognized and accepted herding breed.

Known also as the Great Anglo-Francais, White and Black Hound or the Grand Anglo, the Francais Blanc et Noir is one of several breeds of hounds.

The dog was bred by crossing French scenthounds with English Foxhounds.The Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Noir has always been used for hunting. As a scenthound, hunting was always done in packs and he thrilled at the chase.

The large dog originates in France and is recognized by the French Kennel Club as well as the Federation Cynologique Internationale.The purpose of this breed standard is to provide guidelines for breeders wishing to maintain the quality of their breed, but to also improve it.

Known also as the German Koolie or German Collie, the Koolie is a working- or herding dog standing at between 40 – 60cm in height and weighing up to 24kg.

The Koolie's coat is a merle coat pattern in red or black and possibly with some tan and is mostly short and smooth, though it can be medium length too. Depending on the coat color – red or black – the nose and eyes can be either brown or black, although eye color can also be blue or yellowish.

Temperament:

The Koolie is such a wonderful pet who has some excellent characteristics to his name. He is active, energetic, fun, clever, friendly and playful, but if you have him trained and socialized he becomes even more of a great family pet. He is intelligent too and will require an owner who is steady, firm, fair and consistent. You wouldn't call him an aggressive dog

The Grand Anglo – Francais Blanc et Noir is a big, powerful dog standing at 62 – 72cm and weighing 27 - 32kg. His chest is broad and deep.

The head is flat and broad, the nose black with gentle looking brown eyes. The coat is short and dense for protection and the coloring is black and white. There is a tan dot above each eye. The ears are floppy. The tail is long and tapers down to a slender point.

Temperament:

As a superb hunting dog, this breed lives for the hunt and loves nothing more than to be chasing its prey. The dog has an excellent sense of smell and can track prey in all kinds of terrain.

Although the dog has a stable temperament, he isn’t recommended as being kept solely as a pet, even though he is gentle with children. Maybe its because he has a more serious personality and would prefer to live with active, sport-loving adults than having to contend with the antics of children.

He also isn’t the best dog to have around other small pets as he is so prey-driven he may well be aggressive towards them.

He isn’t a city-loving dog and with his high energy levels he is best suited to properties with large gardens or to farm life. While he will bark and alert you to strangers, he won’t make a particularly good watchdog as he isn’t aggressive.

Many people today like the idea of a ‘wild’ animal as a pet, and the Koolie, with his Dingo ancestry, can be a challenging dog breed to keep. People eventually blame these animals for having a poor temperament – meantime all they are essentially, are high-energy animals.

If you keep a Koolie, it will be better if you were a firm, kind, patient, consistent dog owner who understands the special needs of these kinds of dogs. They’re an energetic, care-free animals who will do better on a large property or farm as he is lively and will need a good deal of exercise.

He is quite capable of being a splendid pet with training and socialization and will settle down well to family life when he is loved and cared for.

Essentially known as a pack dog, the Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Noir isn’t going to do well with anyone who lazes on the couch all day.

He is energetic and driven, and will develop all kinds of behavioral issues if not properly and adequately exercised.

Fitting into a household where hunting is part of the lifestyle will be ideal for him, loving the outdoors and the stimulation that comes from hunting with other dogs.

Provide him with an outdoorsy, active owner and this hunting dog will ensure that he is your loyal and loving companion.

The Koolie is a long-lived dog and there are records of it being able to reach 18 years of age. Because they have a diverse gene pool, you won’t find many genetic problems with this dog.

It is always wise when you’re the owner of a dog, to look out for his health and wellbeing -

Vaccination:

This is to prevent your Koolie picking up fatal diseases such as distemper and parvo-virus. Dogs can be vaccinated from 6 weeks of age for protection.

Parasites:

Working dogs like the Koolie are susceptible to parasites such as tapeworm. Worming of your dog can be included in your vet visit. Dogs with worms may show tell-tale signs such as being pot bellied, very pale gums, anemia and a dull, thinned coat.

A look at his droppings may reveal white segments or worms. Fleas are another kind of parasite and they breed quickly in warm months. Mange is a skin disease caused by small parasitic mites which can actually live inside the hair follicles of dogs. Veterinary treatment will be required.

Heat Stroke:

This is when your pet’s temperature rises out of control. Dogs pant to reduce their body temperature so a dog puffing heavily is putting in extra work to reduce his body temperature.

Never leave you pet in a boiling hot car as the body becomes weak and he has difficulty with breathing. Without immediate treatment, the dog will collapse and die.

Capable of reaching 10 to 12 years of age when looked after well, there aren’t any specific health issues with this dog. He is likely to experience one or two issues that other dogs have to contend with as well.

There are one or two diseases that you want to be aware of -

Ear Infections:

This dog has long, floppy ears and this means that air doesn’t reach inside the ears properly. He is therefore prone to ear infections. After he has been swimming, dry his ears gently inside.

Hip Dysplasia:

Unfortunately this is a disease that can strike even when your Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Noir is a puppy. Hips which aren’t formed properly can cause stiffness, pain and lameness in your pet.

Training:

The Koolie is an intelligent dog that will benefit from training and socialization to make him obedient and able to cope in diverse situations.

Exercise:

These dogs show an untiring enthusiasm for exercise and work and wherever you live, you will need to ensure that he gets regular exercise.

Diet:

Only the very best - both home-made and commercially manufactured food - will be good enough for this energetic dog. Good quality food ensures health and longevity. Always see that there is a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Relaxing Time:

Make sure that your dog has a warm, dry place to sleep inside and that when outside, he has a cool, sheltered spot from the sun.

Grooming:

With his short coat and being an average shedder, the Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Noir is an easy dog to groom, requiring a brush twice a week.

Check his ears inside and out, particularly if he goes swimming. Excess moisture in the ear can encourage bacteria and ear infections. See that his nails are trimmed and remember to check his teeth for dental disease which can cause ill health generally.

Exercise:

As a hunting dog, he will need a good deal of exercise. He won’t be content to just go for a walk once a day, but will want something more hectic such as joining you as you go hiking, cycling, swimming or jogging.

Diet:

As a scenthound, your Grand Anglo – Francais Blanc et Noir is always out and about sniffing around looking for a tasty treat, but with these active dogs, the secret is to small, frequent meals as apposed to 1 or 2 large meals.

It is important to see he gets a nutritionally complete balanced diet that gives him slow release energy. Check with your vet if you’re unsure what to feed him. You want to avoid foods high in fillers, colorants and preservatives.

There are some excellent commercially manufactured dog foods for high energy dog,s but make sure to go for the best brands. You can mix his kibble with some raw meat occasionally and also give him cooked brown rice, chicken and vegetables. He’ll need a constant supply of fresh, cool water.